2018-02-20 PA UpdateProsecutor’s Update
February 20, 2018
2:00 p.m.
Present: Commissioner Fund, Commissioner Jackson (by phone), Commissioner Stamper, Daleyn
Coleman, Archie Smith, Glenn Carter, J. Vander Stoep, Eric Eisenberg, Tom Stanton, Heather Boyer
Guest: Natalie Johnson
Recorder: Rieva Lester
Glenn Carter said that according to the state, all addiction
Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA) cases in Western Washington
will be handled locally. American Behavioral Health will have
up to 24 beds, and Lewis County Superior Court will hold the
hearings. Great Rivers Behavioral Health Organization is to
provide funding.
Glenn said Superior Court learned of it last week. He suggested
touching base with Superior Court and Health.
Eric Eisenberg said all previous treatment was on a voluntary
basis.
Archie Smith said the Clerk’s Office also will have to address
staffing.
Commissioner Fund asked for statistics and funding data to
present to Great Rivers.
Eric said the PA’s office recently submitted a reimbursement claim for the unfunded ballot box mandate.
He said the county paid roughly $32,000 for the boxes and will spend roughly $2,000 annually for
upkeep.
Commissioner Fund said Sen. Hunt’s office is working on an application process.
Eric discussed the freeholder process and a case that momentarily put the necessary number of
signatures into question.
Eric said the Secretary of State’s Office has indicated that no other county has applied term limits. Eric
said the Supreme Court indicates the term ends once the charter is produced and submitted to voters.
He said freeholders would be entitled to workers’ compensation but not minimum wage, retirement or
paid sick leave. He said freeholders also would not be eligible for medical coverage.
Eric suggested including language about what is and what isn’t included compensation-wise in the draft
freeholder nomination procedure.
TO-DO LIST / RECAP
Commissioners: Meet with
Superior Court, Clerk’s Office
and Health regarding ITAs
All: Provide Commissioner Fund
with cost data for Great Rivers
Commissioners: Let Public
Works and the Treasurer’s Office
know to include legal publication
fees in the price an individual
pays to property that did not sell
at auction
Eric said he plans to hold four informational meetings: Pe Ell, Morton, Chehalis, and Winlock or Toledo.
Commissioner Stamper said a fifth meeting should be held in Packwood.
Eric said the PA’s Office would like to hold the meetings after the commissioners hold a hearing on the
matter and sets the nomination procedure.
Among items still to be decided:
• Reimbursement
• Filing fee
Commissioner Jackson recommended a filing fee of $100.
Commissioner Jackson made a motion to set the freeholders’ filing fee at $100. Commissioner Stamper
seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-0.
Commissioner Stamper made a motion to reimburse freeholders’ mileage. Commissioner Jackson
seconded the motion.
The group discussed setting a specific policy that would be used for reimbursing the freeholders for
mileage.
Motion passed 3-0.
Daleyn Coleman left at 2:49 p.m.
The commissioners said the freeholder candidates should be allowed to include candidate profile
“blurbs” similar to other candidates.
Glenn asked if it would be possibly to divide commissioner districts into five population-equivalent
districts. Heather Boyer didn’t think it would be feasible.
J. Vander Stoep said Chehalis School District is split into subdistricts. Heather said the split is by precinct.
Natalie Johnson left at 2:57 p.m.
Commissioner Stamper again voiced concerns about the possibility of a lack of representation from the
East side of the county.
Heather, Tom and J. Vander Stoep left at 3:03 p.m.
Eric said Ross Petersen met with the electeds about the county’s new Public Records Policy. He said the
discussion was mostly positive.
Commissioner Fund asked who pays for advertising when a property goes to surplus sale.
Glenn said the buyer of a surplus already pays for various fees. He said the buyer could be asked to pay
the legal ad fee as it is a charge that must be incurred to sell the property. Eric suggested perhaps a
counteroffer that includes the publication costs. Glenn said you may not even have to counteroffer,
rather just tack the payment on to the purchase price. Glenn said the BOCC should let the Treasurer’s
Office as well as Larry Unzelman and his successor know that a private offer for a property that did not
sell at tax sale should also include the publication costs.
At 3:17 p.m., Commissioner Fund announced that the Board was going into Executive Session under
RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) for 20 minutes to discuss pending litigation and potential litigation.
At 3:37 p.m., the Board extended Executive Session for 10 minutes.
At 3:47 p.m., the Board extended Executive Session for 15 minutes.
At 4:02 p.m., the Board extended Executive Session for 10 minutes.
At 4:12 p.m., the Board extended Executive Session for 3 minutes.
At 4:15 p.m., the Board extended Executive Session for 2 minutes.
Executive Session ended at 4:17 p.m. No decisions were made.
Meeting adjourned at 4:17 p.m.